'To me, it's just hair': Mum-of-three to lose locks for a worthy cause

Warrnambool Basketball administration and competition officer Jess Bonham will have her head shaved for charity on Saturday, May 25.

Bonham, 40, will lose her locks at half-time of the Warrnambool Mermaids' Big V game at the Arc in support of Breast Cancer Network Australia.

She hopes the association, whose men's and women's sides will wear pink uniforms, can raise in excess of $5000.

"To me, it's just hair," Bonham said.

"I think about the ladies who do have breast cancer and there are so many of them in the basketball community, they lose their hair but they also have all those horrible side effects and the effects on their lives.

"For me, it's just hair and it will grow back and I don't have those horrible side effects.

"My kids play with a lot of kids whose mums are going through treatment or have recently gone through treatment."

Bonham, whose family supports breast cancer charities every month, expects her hair to grow back quickly but is prepared for the short-term.

She will leave for a cruise with husband Dan and children Mitchell, 14, Paige, 13, and Connor, 13, in June.

"This is the longest my hair has been for a long time, knowing this was coming up," she said.

"I actually haven't had a haircut since October - my hair has not been this long since my wedding a very, very long time ago so I don't think it will take long to grow back at all.

"We are going on a cruise - there will be lots of sunscreen on the head I think and plenty of hats - and then we're coming into a nice, icy Warrnambool winter, so for Mother's Day Dan and the kids bought me a lot of beanies."

The Crooked Gentleman has come onboard as a sponsor for Warrnambool Basketball's Pink Round.

But Mitchell - a passionate basketballer who also referees - would jump at the chance to shave his mum's head.

"He thinks he is," Bonham laughed.

"We will see. He may start them off though."

This weekend, Saturday, May 18, Warrnambool Seahawks host Coburg Giants at the Arc from 7.30pm while Warrnambool Mermaids play Pakenham Warriors in the earlier game at 5.30pm.

Donations can be made at https://pinksportsday.bcna.org.au/my-fundraising/1582/warrnambool-basketball-inc